As computer screens continue to be made smaller, many additional environments for their use become available. In “Next Stretch for Plastic Electronics” by Graham P. Collins, Scientific American, August 2004, pages 74-81, the commercial use of organic semiconductors for viewing screens is described. Further, in “Practical Nanotubes, Molecular-Scale Fabrication Points Toward Commercial Carbon Electronics” by J. R. Minkel, a high-definition television screen fabricated from a glass panel coated with a brushy array of nanotubes is described.
Eyeglasses having 2 LCD screens and earphones are available from Audio Ouffitters; however, this eyewear is not usable as optical glasses or sunglasses. MicroOptical Products provides a head-up viewer which may be detachably mounted to conventional eyewear for right or left eye viewing, while Ray 3D provides liquid crystal shutter glasses having clear optics designed to fit over prescription eyewear.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,011 for “Spectacle-Mounted Ocular Display Apparatus” which issued to David s. Bettinger on Feb. 21, 1989 describes a spectacle-mounted display apparatus in which a reflective surface of a partially-transparent eyeglasses lens is employed as the primary optical element which, in cooperation with a concave relay reflector positioned inside the lens/eye cavity may be used for reflecting displays of film, LEDs, fiber optics, CRT or electronic images generated for delivering data to a wearer as a virtual image at infinity.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,832 for “Eyeglasses With Integrated Rear View Mirrors” which issued to Robert J. Fuziak on May 23, 2000, describes a pair of eyeglasses including rear view mirrors, each having a mirror surface that may be folded forwardly and outwardly to an open position for use, and that may also be folded rearwardly and inwardly to a closed position for retention by the temple members of the eyeglasses when not in use, such that when in the closed position against the temple members, the eyeglasses present the appearance of conventional eyeglasses.
Optical and electronics technology has advanced to where tiny cameras for both night vision and other image recording are commercially available at low prices.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide eyeglasses suitable for generating and/or viewing video signals, while maintaining the appearance and function of ordinary eyewear.
Another object of the invention is to provide eyeglasses suitable for generating and/or viewing video signals and having independently adjustable distances between the viewing screens and a viewer's eyes, while maintaining the appearance and function of ordinary eyewear.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.